The present invention relates generally to light diffusers and, more particularly, to a light-diffusing interface apparatus for diffusing light generated by a light-generative device.
A communication system is operative to transmit information between two or more locations, and includes, at a minimum, a transmitter and a receiver interconnected by a communication channel. In a radio communication system, the communication channel comprises a radio frequency channel wherein a radio frequency channel is defined by a range of frequencies of the communication spectrum. Information is transmitted by the transmitter to the receiver by transmitting the information upon the radio frequency channel to the receiver.
The transmitter which forms a portion of the radio communication system includes circuitry for converting the information into a form suitable for transmission thereof upon a radio frequency channel. Such circuitry includes modulation circuitry which performs a process referred to as modulation. In such modulation process, the information which is to be transmitted is impressed upon a radio frequency electromagnetic wave, commonly referred to as a carrier signal. The resultant signal, formed of a combination of the carrier signal and the information, is commonly referred to as a modulated signal. Such resultant signal is also referred to as a communication signal as the modulated signal includes the information which is to be communicated by the transmitter to the receiver.
Various types of modulation schemes have been devised for impressing the information upon the carrier signal, thereby to form the communication signal. For instance, amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, and combinations of such modulation schemes are all modulation schemes by which the information may be impressed upon the carrier wave to form the communication signal.
Radio communication systems are advantageous in that no physical interconnection is required between the transmitter and the receiver; once the information is modulated to form a modulated signal, a modulated signal may be transmitted over large distances.
Numerous modulated signals may be simultaneously transmitted upon different radio frequency channels defined upon the electromagnetic frequency spectrum. Transmission of modulated signals on different ones of the radio frequency channels defined upon certain frequency bands of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum is regulated by regulatory bodies.
A two-way, radio communication system is a radio communication system, similar to the radio communication system above-described, but which further permits both transmission and reception of information at first and second, spaced-apart locations. Each location of a two-way radio communication system contains both a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and the receiver positioned at a single location typically comprise a unit referred to as a radio transceiver, or, more simply, a transceiver. A transceiver capable of alternate operation either to transmit or to receive a communication signal is referred to as being capable of simplex operation. A transceiver capable of simultaneous operation both to transmit and to receive a communication signal is referred to as being capable of duplex operation.
A cellular communication system is one type of two-way radio communication system in which communication is permitted with a radio transceiver positioned at any location within a geographic area encompassed by the cellular communication system.
A cellular communication system is created by positioning a plurality of fixed-site radio transceivers referred to as base stations, at spaced-apart locations throughout the geographic area. The base stations are connected to a conventional, wireline, telephonic network. Each base station has associated therewith a portion of the geographic area located proximate to each of such base stations. Such portions are referred to as cells. The plurality of cells, each defined by corresponding ones of the base stations of the plurality of base stations together define the coverage area of the cellular communication system.
A radio transceiver, referred to in the cellular communication system as a radiotelephone, positioned within any location within the coverage area of the cellular communication system is able to communicate with a user of the conventional, wireline, telephonic network by way of a base station. Modulated signals are transmitted between the radiotelephone and the base station to effectuate communication therebetween.
Typically, the radiotelephone includes a handset assembly operative in a manner analogous to the operation of a handset assembly of conventional telephonic apparatus.
In some radiotelephone constructions, only portions of the circuitry of the radiotelephone is disposed within the handset assembly, In such constructions, the handset assembly is coupled to transceiver circuitry housed within other structure. In other radiotelephone constructions, the entire circuitry of the radiotelephone is housed within the handset assembly thereof.
In either type of radiotelephone construction, however, the handset assembly includes structure to facilitate operation of the radiotelephone. As such structure typically requires the interaction of a user, such structure is typically referred to as a user interface.
For instance, the handset assembly of either type of radiotelephone includes a user interface which permits the user to effectuate telephonic communication by way of the radiotelephone with a remote site. Such user interface typically comprises a telephonic keypad to permit the user to enter a desired call sequence (i.e., a telephone number) thereby to effectuate telephonic communication with a location associated with such call sequence.
Additionally, information is provided by the radiotelephone to indicate to the user of such radiotelephone certain parameters of operation of such radiotelephone. Typically, such information is provided in the form of a visual indication by light-generative devices, usually light emitting diodes.
Light emitting diodes are advantageously utilized to provide the indications to the user of the parameters of operation of the radiotelephone as the light emitting diodes are operable at low power levels. Use of such light emitting diodes is particularly advantageous when the radiotelephone is powered by a portable power source.
Diodes generate a nondiffuse light pattern. Because of this characteristic, many designs of radiotelephone constructions position the diodes near the surface of the housing of the handset assembly, thereby to ensure that the light generated by such diodes is noticeable to the user of the radiotelephone.
Radiotelephones are oftentimes operated in darkened conditions. To facilitate operation of such radiotelephones in the darkened conditions, the keypad supported by the handset assembly oftentimes also includes light-generative devices, once again typically formed of light emitting diodes, for illuminating the keypad display.
In some radiotelephone constructions, the keypad display is comprised of a thermoelastic, and also translucent, material. The thermoelastic and translucent material may, for example, be comprised of a silicone rubber-type material. The light emitting diodes forming the light-generative devices which illuminate the keypad display are positioned beneath individual actuation switches of the keypad display. The translucent keypad acts to diffuse the point-intensive light pattern of the light generated by the light emitting diodes. When the diodes are lighted, the diffusion of the light caused by the keypad display causes the entire keypad display to be illuminated.
Positioning of a similar such translucent material upon the light emitting diodes utilized to indicate the certain parameters of operation of the radiotelephone to the user thereof would also be advantageous to the user.
However, such additional piece of translucent material increases the piece-part count of the radiotelephone. The increased piece-part count increases not only the product part cost of the radiotelephone, but also increases the number of assembly steps required to assemble such radiotelephone.
When more than one proximately-positioned light emitting diode (or other light generative device) are separately lighted by the circuitry of the radiotelephone to provide indications of different parameters of operation of the radiotelephone, confusion as to which of the light emitting diodes is lighted can occur. Transmission of the light generated by the proximately-positioned diodes through the translucent material resulting in confusion as to which of the diodes (or other light-generative devices) is lighted is undesirable. Such undesired transmission is sometimes referred to as light bleed. Light bleed resulting in confusion as to which of more than one proximately-positioned diodes is lighted should be minimized.
What is needed is a light-diffusing interface apparatus for diffusing light generated by light-generative devices for an electronic device which does not increase the product part count of the electronic device and which minimizes light bleed between adjacently-positioned light-generative devices.